Looking for a hunting shotgun

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WC15

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Looking for a new shotgun. My spending limit is right around $1,000(ish). Gun will be used for turkey, dove, quail, and ducks. I’d like it to be gas operated rather than recoil inertia or anything else.

First off, my first question here is I’ll be new to turkey hunting, so do I need or should I get a 3.5” gun or will 3” suffice? My aversion to 3.5” guns is the fact that I hear they don’t always reliably cycle the 2 3/4 light load quail shells very well.
Now on to the options:

Remington V3 (3”)
Beretta A300 (3”)
Winchester SX4 (3.5”)
Remington Versa Max (3.5”)
Browning A5 (3.5”)

I know the versa max runs plus 1,000 but I can get a good deal on it through my dealer. As far as the A5 goes I know they are recoil operated but I have a friend who is just adamant that I add it to my list of considerations saying the brand new 3.5” A5’s are just amazing and the best of the best of the best today and would be the best shotgun I could ever own and the softest shooting. I’ve got an old old old auto-5 that I like and still runs flawless but don’t know beans about the new ones. Also I know they are closer to 1500 but if they are truly this amazing thing then.

So anyway if I need 3.5” for turkey and or ducks then people can eliminate the V3 and A300. I’m new to these two hunting types so I don’t know how necessary 3.5” truly is. If 3” will easily suffice what I need or if it’s true that 3.5” shotguns won’t reliably cycle my light quail loads then scratch those off. Unless when comparing the versa max and V3 the versa max is a true better more reliable better stronger made shotgun.
 
You don’t need a 3.5” gun for turkeys. Geese, maybe. But not turkeys, IMHO.

I have a 2 3/4” A5 that kills ducks (see my avatar) and pheasant just fine. I’ve no experience with the others on your list, but I did spend a few seasons with a Beretta 391 Urika Sporting. Wonderful gun. If I could afford it, I’d buy another.
 
Lots of turkeys, ducks and geese are taken with 3" shells every year.

I just traded my walnut and grey SX3 for a new 3" SX3 with a synthetic stock.
The one I traded was a great gun but the sock did not fit and wasn't easily adjusted like the synthetic models.
As far as I can tell the SX4 is the same gun with more plastic.
 
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I would pick the SX4 , or if you can find a SX3 , that is what I have and all you need is a 3" shotgun . The 3 1/2 maybe if using steel shot for geese and ducks .

I do like the A5 , but I have never shot one , I own an old Belgium model 2 3/4" and it is my favorite shotgun . The new model A5 will break your budget pretty good and I think the SX4 will also , but not as much .
 
The sx4 I can get today in my hands for $860 plus tax. SX3 is a smudge over $1000 where I was looking today.
 
I just looked at buds and I was surprised at low price on the SX4 . I thought they would be higher priced than the SX3 . A black one for around $660 dollars .
 
Sx4 Camo in hand was $860. A300 Camo in hand was $650. V3 Camo in hand was $600. Versa Max was $1200ish. Not sure about the A5, didn’t price it.
 
I’m gonna need help / advice with fit to please, right now every single shotgun I own (5 models) are shotguns I inherited. Up until the last few weeks I never considered or even heard of this “fits you best” things as I was just accustomed to opening the safe, grabbing an inherited shotgun out, and going on a hunt. I never once considered if it fit. Truth be told I don’t know how to even judge if a shotgun fits me or not.
 
The synthetic stock SX3 and 4's come with shims to adjust the cast (right or left) and or drop of the stock. Some of the other guns you are considering may also.
Shotguns need to fit well in order to point and shoot quickly. Pick up one of you shotguns then close your eyes and shoulder it as you would to shoot. When you open your eyes the bead should be perfectly centered and you should not see the barrel.
The stock shims make it quick, easy and inexpensive to fit your gun.

There are also shims to adjust the "length of pull", how long the stock is.
 
WC15 said:
I’m gonna need help / advice with fit to please, right now every single shotgun I own (5 models) are shotguns I inherited. Up until the last few weeks I never considered or even heard of this “fits you best” things as I was just accustomed to opening the safe, grabbing an inherited shotgun out, and going on a hunt. I never once considered if it fit. Truth be told I don’t know how to even judge if a shotgun fits me or not.
Click to expand...

It would really help if you had someone who knows how to fit a stock assist you. That being said, go to your local shotgun club (the trap/skeet/sporting type) and use their pattern board A pattern board is typically a 4'x4' piece of steel suspended. It usually has a small aiming spot in the center. Some use grease, some use paper, some paint to shoot for your pattern. Bring the gun up to your shoulder, pointing at the center and fire. This is usually done at 40 yards (except for 410 which is done at 25). Where is the pattern in relation to that center spot? Right on, high, low, right, left? You should also check for your eye dominance. Google the simple test you can do anywhere with your hands as you focus on an object. If your eye and hand dominance is on the same side, that is good. If not, then you might want to consider shooting from your dominant eye side.

Some things to consider - when you shoulder the gun, do you see a lot of rib? If so, the gun will shoot high and not where you are looking. Most guns are designed to fit the "average" person - if you fit that profile, great! If you're tall like me, or extra heavy, extra skinny, have ape-like arms, etc., you may need to have somethings done to stock to make it fit you. There are probably some folks at your local gun club who can help in that regard.
 
A shotgun should point where you are looking. Before you can determine good fit, you must have a consistent gun mount. Shims can be helpful, but they are not a universal solution. You cannot change any one dimension because when you change one you change them all because the stock merely pivots at the receiver. Keep in mind the most popular semi auto of all time, the Remington 1100, and the two most popular shotguns of all time period, the Remington 870 and the Mossberg 500, have never had shims. In the days before the internet you pretty much tried to find a gun that felt right when you mounted it and shot. This was also in the pre "gun fit influences felt recoil" advice that came along with inertia action shotguns. I have had over 50 shotguns, and I will still buy one by mounting and pointing it multiple times. Over and unders are hugely popular for clay targets, and almost none of them have shims.
Unless you plan to get professional help, the best you can do is pick a spot on the wall, concentrate, and bring up the gun and see how close you are to the spot. After you have bought a gun, if it has shims, you can then play around with actual point of impact by making changes. But, the human brain is a powerful thing. The brain will learn what sight picture produces hits with practice. I once saw Tom Knapp kill one wild duck, flying, and then TWO, shooting behind his back. He said you just had to get the sight picture right. I have no idea how many shots it took to master that one.
 
I don’t know if this is helpful information for how a gun should “fit” but I do remember noticing that when I handled the sx4 I had to lower my head down quite a bit to get a good look at the front sight. When I raised the gun more so I wouldn’t have to lower my head over so much, I got my sight and head and everything even and comfortable but part of the recoil pad was above my shoulder and not up against anything
 
WC15 said:
I don’t know if this is helpful information for how a gun should “fit” but I do remember noticing that when I handled the sx4 I had to lower my head down quite a bit to get a good look at the front sight. When I raised the gun more so I wouldn’t have to lower my head over so much, I got my sight and head and everything even and comfortable but part of the recoil pad was above my shoulder and not up against anything
Click to expand...
That's what the shims and spacers will adjust for.
 
Sx4 didn’t fit me at all- v3 like a glove. I love the reviews on the Remington. I haven’t shot it so cant make a recommendation.
 
I see amazing reviews for the Remington V3 and Beretta A300 online, yet when I ask around locally for recommendations I have yet in 3 gun stores and when speaking to 5 hunters find anyone who would say they would actually buy the V3. Everyone locally is beretta or Winchester. Don’t know what people have against the V3 around here.
 
Remington has not had a lot of quality issues with their shotguns. They are and always have been built in Ilion, NY. Handguns and relocated Marlin production is another issue. It seems to me it has just become fashionable to knock Remington on the internet, and they do not have as much mark up and than can definitely influence gun store recommendations.
The V3 has received excellent reviews, and everyone I have talked to who has one loves it. If I needed a new shotgun, I would likely get a V3 or an 11-87 Premier. The same can pretty much be said of the A300. The Winchester SX3 is also well liked by it's owners.
 
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Here in the next couple weeks, a local gun dealer bout 30 miles away has the V3, A300, SX3 and Sx4 in stock I guess I’ll go handle them some more and see how that goes. Since the general consensus is all 4 would serve me well it’s just which would feel best.
 
As has been mentioned, fit is very important. A gun that fits you will become part of you when you shoulder it. If it does not, and you are a very experienced shooter, you can still shoot well, but you will be fighting the gun. I have seen new shooters, once they are trained to mount the gun correctly, (a topic already covered) advance their Trap scores rapidly with a gun that fits, and I have seen many struggle with dad's old duck gun. I teach Trap for 4-H, and my observations are that gun fit is the most important variable, followed by correct stance. Once the fundamentals are mastered, one can do the stuff Tom Knapp does, maybe.
For hunting, that 'throw the gun up on the shoulder' correct fit is even more important than with clays, the birds are quick, and don't fly straight like clays.
 
My budget is 1000ish as stated, HOWEVER I checked online with my dealer today and 3 models of Benelli’s are actually more affordable than I thought. I know I said gas only and these are inertia, but how do people feel about these 3 Benelli’s vs the guns I’ve already listed?

M2 field (3”) $1240
Vinci (3”) $1230
Plain walnut Montefeltro (3”) $880

Whatever I get I’d rather have camo synthetic honestly, which is just a personal appearance preference and nothing more, but that Montefeltro comes in at a little under $900 I walnut which I prefer over just plain black synthetic.

Let me just add that if these benelli’s are not 200-$500 better shotguns than the A300 or V3 then I’m gonna forget these. Basically I don’t wanna pay 200-500 to basically have a shotgun marked Benelli and not beretta or Remington and nothing more.
 
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